Building closure construction



Jan. 17, 1967 F. P. GRIFFIN BUILDING CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 11, 1964 FIG.

4 sheets-sheet z SM @MK F. P. GRIFFIN BUILDING oLosURE CONSTRUCTION Jan. 17, 19.67

Filed peq. 11, 1964 Jan. `17, 1967 Filed Dec.v l1, 1964' F. P. GRIFFIN y l 3,298,424

` BUILDING 'CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION 4 sheetssmet '4 United States Patent O 3,298,424 BUILDING CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION Frederick P. Griliin, Box 1102, Salina, Kans. 67402y Filed Dec. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 417,637l 14 Claims. (ci. l16o-113) This invention relates to improvements in closure assemblies for buildings, and'mor'e particularly to an improved combination window assembly, or window-wall assembly of the type provided with vertical slidable panels.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved closure assembly for use either as windows in existing buildings or as window-walls and ventilated roof sections of buildings, said assembly being of the type provided with slidable vertical panel members serving as transparent windowelements, and with additional vertical slidable panel elements serving as shutters, the assembly involving relatively simple components, being easy to install, and being easy to operate.

- A further object of the invention is to provide an irnproved window unit for use in buildings, said unit involving relatively inexpensive components, being reliable in operation, being neat in appearance, and being durable' in construction.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved combination sliding window and shutter assembly of the type employing vertically elongated slidable panel segments, the arrangement providing excellent weather-tightness, a high degree of flexibility in adjustment of the panel elements thereof, and requiring a minimum amount of hardware.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved combination window and shutter assembly for buildings, the assembly including vertically slidable panel elements and being provided with efcient and convenient operating means for moving said elements, the operating means being accessible from the interior side of the assembly.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from lthe following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the wall of a building provided with an improved closure assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention.

' FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view from the inside of the building of the wall portion of FIGURE 1, showing the improved closure assembly thereof.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 1.-

`FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary horizontal cross sectional View similar to FIGURE 3, but showing the vertical transparent window panel elements in fully opened positions.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical side elevational view of one of the transparent panel bodies employed in the closure assembly of FIGURES 1 to 4.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective View of the superimposed transparent panel bodies employed in the closure assemblyfof FIGURES 1 to 4.

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of a partly assembled closure unit according to the present invention.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the main housing body and the cooperating cover member employed with said housing body, dening the retaining housing for the sliding panel units of the closure assembly shown in FIGURES 1 to 7, the cover plate member being shown rotated downwardly substantially around its bottom horizontal edge to an inverted position.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates a typical closure assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention illustrated, merely by way of eX- ample, as a`window unit adapted -to be mounted in the `wall of a building 12. The closure assembly 11 comprises a generally rectangular main housing 13 adapted to be secured in any suitablemanner in the wall framing of the building 12. The housing 13 thus comprises a top wall 14, a bottomvwall 15, respective side walls 16 and 17, and a front wall formed with a plurality of vertically elongated rectangular window apertures, for eX- ample, the rectangular window apertures 18, 19 and 20.

Thev housing 134 is of any suitable construction, for example, is of hollow metal construction, as shown in FIGURES 3,' 4 and 8, and the apertures 18, 19 and 20 in the front wall ofthe housing define apair of vertical hollow post members 21 and 22. The post members 21 and 22 are formed at the left side edges thereof, as viewed in FIGURE 8, with vertical recesses 23, and the right side marginal portion 24 of the window opening 20 is likewise formed with a similar vertical recess 25. The housing member 13 constitutes the main frame of the window assembly and is adapted to be installed in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1 with its front wall (containing the window openings 18, 19 and 2(1) facing outwardly.

As shown in FIGURE 1, said front wall is preferably provided with suitably spaced supporting loops 26 to provide a means for attaching transparent plastic winter sealing sheets over the respective window openings.

The window unit 11 is provided with the inside wall or cover member 27 shaped to interlock with the main housing member 13 and formed with the window openings 18, 19 and 20 located-so as to register with the window openings 1S, 19 and 20 of the main housing member 13. Thus, the side edges of the cover member 27 are provided with vertical corner recesses 28 and 29 adapted to receive the edges of the vertical walls 16 and 17 of housing member 13, the top edge of the cover member 27 is recessed, as shown at 30 to receive the edge of top wall 14 of housing member 13, and the bottom edge of cover member 27 is recessed, as shown at 31, to receive the edge of bottom wall 15 of said main housing member 13.

The edge of top wall 14 is formed with a notch 32 to receive a correspondingly shaped lug 33 provided at the intermediate portion of the top edge of cover member 27, and similarly, the edge of bottom wall 15 is formed with a notch 34 to receive a corresponding lug 35 provided at the intermediate portion of the bottom edge of cover member 27. The lugs 33 and 35 cooperate with the notches 34 and 32 to assure acurate and easy registry of cover member 27 with housing member 13 during the assembly of the window unit.

The provisionofthe window openings 18', 19', and 20 thus dene post members 21 and 22 which register with the post members 21 and 22 of the mainV housing member 13 when the cover member 27 is secured thereon.

Designated at 36 to 40A are a plurality of `cooperating transparent window bodies which are disposed adjacent to the housing cover member 27 in parallel relationship and which are slidable relative to each other and relative to the cover member 27 and a vertical separator member 50 which is secured in the central vertical longitudinal plane of the enclosure defined by housing member 13 and cover member 27, and which is formed with respective vertical longitudinal apertures 51, 52 and 53, respectively and Ztl-20.

d, members 36 to 40 are each formed with a pair of vertical rectangular apertures 41 and 42 substantially the same in size and shape as the window apertures of the lxed members 27, 50 and 13, and are located so as to be substantially registrable with said window apertures, for example, when the transparent bodies 36 to 40 are in the leftward positions thereof shown in FIGURE 4, in which positions the respective apertures 41 and 42 of the bodies are in registry with each other and also with the window apertures 18-18 and 19-19.

Thus, the window apertures 41 and 42 of the transparent bodies 36 to 40 define respective vertical transparent panels 43, 44 and 45 which are arranged with their successive margins overlapping when the transparent bodies are in the extended positions thereof, such as the position illustrated in FIGURE 3, the members 43, 44 and 45 being of sulllcient width so that their combined widths when in their aforesaid marginal overlapping relationship cover the adjacent window openings in the fixed members 13, 50 and 27.

The members 43, 44 and 45 of the respective -transparent window panels are each provided with llanges 55 projecting at right angles thereto into the adjacent window openings 18, 19 and 20', the flanges 55 of the panel 4t) being receivable in vertical recesses 23 and 25 when the window assembly is in the expanded condition thereof shown in FIGURE 3.

Secured to the vertical overlapping marginal portions of the strips 43, 44 and45 of the respective transparent bodies 36 to 40 are cooperating Vsealing strips56 and 57, as shown in FIGURE 3, the strips 56 being secured to the inside surfaces of the elements 43, 44 and 45 of the transparent window members 36 to 39, said strips 56 being substantially engageable by the vertical sealing strips 57 which are secured to the outwardly facing surfaces of the vertical members 43, 44 and -45 of the transparent window panels 37 to 40. As shown in FIGURE 3, the strips 57 of the leftward panel element 45 is sealingly engageable with a stationary sealing strip 58 provided on the marginal vertical inner'surface portion of the post element 22. A similar sealing strip is provided at the vertical marginal edge portion of the inner `surface of the post member 21 which is engageable by a strip 57 secured on the element 44 of panel member 36.

As shown in FIGURE 8, a sealing strip 58 is similarly provided on the vertical margin of the left end post element 60 of the cover member 27, the last-named strip member 58 being sealingly engageable by a cooperating sealing strip member 57 on the vertical margin of the panel element 43 of sliding window member 36.

The cover member 27 is formed at the intermediate portions of the top and bottom interior margins thereof with horizontal guide grooves 61 and 62 which slidably receive respective inwardly projecting guide lugs 63 and 64 provided on the innermost transparent panel member 40. The top edges of the transparent window members 36 to 39 are formed with respective rectangular notches 64 to 67 of successively diminishing length receiving the guide lug 63. Similar rectangular notches are provided on the bottom edges of the members 36 to 39 to receive the guide lug 64.

The transparent window panels 36 to 40 are provided adjacent the opposite ends of their bottom edges with supporting ball bearings 70 which define anti-friction supports for the sliding transparent panels and allow them to be easily moved horizontally from the closed position of the assembly illustrated in FIGURE 3 to the open position thereof of FIGURE 4, and vice versa.

The window openings 18, 19 and 20 of the main housing member 13 a-re provided at their bottom edges with outwardly and `downwardly inclined sill plates 71 and the window openings 18', 19 and 20' of the cover member 27 are similarly provided at their ybottom edges with corresponding sill plates 71;', the sill plate 71 being formed with an upstanding inner marginal flange 72 which has a stepped configuration following the contour of the bottom marginal portions of the overlapping transparent window panel segments 45 with the window in its closed position, namely, with the segments in the expanded positions thereof illustrated in FIGURE 3. Thus, the stepped longitudinally extending portion of the guide flange 72 on the sill plate 71 acts as a guide means for restraining the bottom margins of the panels from sliding outwardly and thus confines said panels to movement in vertical planes parallel to the intermediatespacer member 5t).

A shutter assembly comprising sliding plate membe-rs 36 to 40' identical in shape and size to the transparent window panel members 36 to 4t) is provided in the main housing member 13 at the side of the central longitudinal Vertical space member 50 4opposite the transparent sliding window members, the shutter members being of opaque material and being provided with vertical marginal sealing strips 57 on their outside surfaces cooperating with vertical marginal sealing strips 56 on the inside surfaces of the adjacent panel elements in the same manner as described above in connection with the sealing strips 56 and 57. Also, a sealing st-rip 58 is provided on each post member of the housing 13 which are cooperable with the endmost sealing strips 57 on the panel member 36. As in the ycase of the transparent vertical panel elements 45, 44 and 43, the opaque shutter elements 36' to 40 have panel elements which cover the window openings 18, 19 and 20 when the shutter members are in extended positions, as `shown in FIGURE 3. Thus, the elements 45 of the shutters completely cover the window opening 2 0 when the shutter members are in their extended positions, as in FIGURE3, lbut'may be pushed into overlapping nested relationship to substantially completely uncover the window openings. FIGURE 4 shows the nested relationship of the transparentpanel elements when the window opening 20 is completely uncovered. The shutter 4 elements are movable into a similar nested relationship to uncover the window openings 18, 19 and 2t) of the main housing member 13. The sill plate 71 is provided with the upstanding marginal llange 72 whose inside edge has the configuration shown in FIGURE 3, similar to that provided on the sill plate 20', to serve as guide means-for the bottom marginal edge portions of the sliding shutter members.

The top and bottom margins of the window opening 20 of housing member 13 are formed with inclined guide flanges 8l) and 80 cooperating with the adjacent margins of the shutter members to retain said shutter members in parallel relationship to the intermediate space member 5t) in the various positions of the shutter members.

The shutter elements have outwardly projecting llanges 55' identical to the flanges 55 provided on the transparent window panel elements, said ilanges serving as stitfening means and also as means for at times grasping the shutter members to facilitate adjustment of their positions. The shutter members are provided at the opposite end portions of their bottom edges with supporting ball bearings 70 similar to the supporting ball bearings 70 provided for the transparent panel elements.

The respective vertical panel elements 45 of the shutter members may be provided with horizontal slots 82 of limited width to provide adequate ventilation when the shutter members are in their closed positions,

Means are provided for selectively actuating the shutters and the transparent window elements of the assembly from the inside of the room. Thus, a ilexible cable is connected to the lower left corner edge portion of the innermost shutter panel 40 at 91, as shown in FIGURE 7, and extends around corner rollers 93 provided in the housing member 17, namely, rollers in the left l-ower corner, the left upper corner, and the right upper corner emerging at the upper right corner portion of the assent-- bar or rod 96. The member 96 serves as a handle for moving the shutters to olpen position, since when the member 96 is pulled downwardly the cable transmits the pulling force to the connection 91, whereby the shutters are moved to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 7, namely, toward their nested open positions. A similar cable 90 is provided for moving the shutters toward closed positions, said cable emerging through an aperature 95 at the upper left corner of the member 27 and being provided with barlike operating handle 96, which when pulled downwardly, causes force to be transmitted through the cable 90 to the point of connection 91 at the lower right corner portion of the shutter member 40', whereby the shutters may be moved toward their closed positions. Similar operating means is provided for the transparent window members 36 to 40, namely, by the use of cables 97 and 97 respectively connected to the top corner portions of the innermost window panel member 45 at 98 and 98, the cables 97 and 97 being provided Wit-h bar-like operating handles 99 and 99 which are employed in thesame manner as the handles 96 and 96. The cables 97 and 97 emerge from the top corner portions of the member 27 through respective apertures 100 and 100', as shown in FIGURE 2. Suitable rollers 93 are provided at the respective corners of the main housing 13, as above mentioned, to guide the cables. The top corners of the central spacer member 50 are provided with inclined slots 101 to all-ow passage therethrough of the cables 90 and 90 toward the apertures 95 and 95'. The rollers in the top corners of the main housing member 13 may be omitted, if so desired, but when employed, are suitably angled to provide proper guiding action of the cables through the slots 101. Similarly, the rollers at the top corners of housing member 17 associated with the transparent window panel cables 97 and 97', if employed, are suitably oriented and located to guide the cables 97 and 97 toward the apertures 100 and 100',

The innermost shutter member 40 is provided at the intermediate portion of its top and bottom margins with transversely extending lug members 163 and 164 which are received in respective sets of rectangular notches formed in the top and `bottom edges of the remaining shutter members 36 to 39". The aforesaid rectangular notches, shown at 105 and 105 in FIGURE 7 are similar to the-rectangular notches 64 to 67 provided in the top and bottom edges of the transparent window members 36 to 39 to receive the lugs 63 and 64 of the innermost transparent window panel member 40. Thus, these notches increase outwardly in width from one panel to the next by an amount substantially equal to or of the order of the Width of the panel segments at the side margins of the Window apertures 41 and 42. Thus, when the innermost panel member 40 or 4t)r is moved from the position wherein the windows are opened to the position lwherein they are closed, namely, from the position of FIGURE 4 to the position of FIGURE 3, the lugs 63 and 64 or 163 and 164 cooperate with the vertical edges of the notches in the top and bottom margins of the window panel elements to move said window panel elements along with the innermost panel element toward closing position, and due t-o t-he staggered `lengths of the notches, the panel segments of the side margins of the window openings are disposed in staggered overlapping positions such as are illustrated in 'FIGURE 3, providing complete c10- sure of the windows. For example, as the innermost transparent panel member 40 is moved laterally to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 6, the lugs 63 and 64' tirst engage the vertical edges of the notches 67 after the panel member 40 has moved through a distance Substantially of the order of the width of the Panel segments 43, 44 and 45. As the innermost panel member 40 moves further to the right, as vi-ewed in FIGURE 6, through a distance almost equal to the width of the panel segments 43, 44 or 45, the lug 63 engages the vertical right edge of the next notch 66, namely, the one provided in -t-he next panel 38, so that this panel is also carried along with 40 to their fully opened nested positions, similar to those illustrated in FIGURE 4, providing complete opening of the Windows.

The positions of the panel members 3-6 to 40 and '36 to 40' are positively limited by the provision of transversely extending stop bars 118, 118 at the top and bottom margins of the window assembly, said transver-sely extending stop bars 118 being received in cooperating stopnotches to114 provided in the top and bottomv edges of the rigid-sheet members 36 to 40 and 36 to 40. The stop notches 110` to 114 Vare graduated in length, varying in length by distances of the` order of the width of the side marginal window opening panel elements 43, 44 or 45, thereby limiting movement of the window panel members substantially to successive multiples of this width. Thus, in the specic arrangement illustrated, the rectangular notches 114 are approximately four Itimes the width of the window opening side marginal elements 43, 44 or `45, limiting the movement of the innermost panel 'segments 40 and 40' to a distance substantially four times the width of said Window opening side marginal elements 43, 44 or 45. Similarly, the notches 113 are approximately three times said width, thereby limiting the movement of ther panel members 39 and 39 to distances three times said width. The notches 110- in the outermost panel elements 36 and 36 have lengths substantially of the same order as the window opening side marginal elements 43, 44 or 45, limiting the movement of the outermost panel members 36 and 36 to distances substantially equal to said width.

No undue pressure is exerted sideways on the sealing strips provided in the assembly due to Ithe action of Ilugs 63 and 64 in notches 64 to 67, or the action of the xed stop bar elements in the notches 110 to 114.

Means are provided for preventing complete closure of the windows and for maintaining the Windows open by an amount substantially equa-l to the width of the Window opening side marginal segments 43, 44 and 45, for example, for facilitating cleaning of the windows from the inside of the room by means of a suitable angled cleaning tool. Thus, apertures 116 are provided in the top and bottom margins of the cover member 27 which are engageable in similar shaped recesses 117, 117 provided in the insidesurfaces of the top and bottom marginal portions of the front Wa-ll of main housing member 13, the apertures 116 and the recesses 117 lbeing lshaped to slidably receive the fhandle bar elements 96, 99, 96 or 99.

Said handle bars, when engaged through the openings 1116 and received in the recesses 117 will pass through the stop notches 110 to 114 and will thereby act in place of the stop bars 118 to limit the movement of Ithe window panels toward closing position. As shown in FIGURE 7, the :recesses 117 are spaced leftward from thexed transverse stop bars 118 by a distance substantially the samev as the Iwidth of one of the window opening side marginal panel segments 43, 44 or 45, so that the rightward-movement of the slidable window panels will be limited to positions wherein the windows are maintained open by an amount substantially equal to the width of one of the side marginal window `opening panel segments 43, 44 or 45. I

As above mentioned this is useful in cleaning the trans- When all the exposed panel areas have been cleaned, the

handle can be removed from the hol-e and the window completely closed, and then opened the width of a panel seg-ment 43, 44 or 45. The last panel, which was previously confined in the storage space at the left side of the housing assembly will now `be accessible for cleaning.

The fixed stop bar elements 11S are preferably removable, to further facilitate access to the various window panel elements for cleaning, or the like.

The above described assembly can be curved to tit the contour of buildings or other structures in which it is employed, the only requirement being that the curvature of the respective elements thereof throughout shall `be that of segments of the same-sized perfect circle, so that the sliding members will move freely through their fu-ll possible distance.

While a specific embodiment of an improved sliding closure assembly has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit `of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art'. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary window frame, means on said frame defining a plurality of sideaby-side window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members slidably mounted on said frame adjacent and parallel to said Window openings, said sheet members being formed with -apertures substantially registrable with said window openings and each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of wind-ow openings, the side margins of the apertures being of sufficient `width so that the window openings will be substantially covered thereby when the sheet members are moved laterally to staggered overlapping positions, and means to move said sheet members later-ally toward and away from said staggeredoverlapping positions.

2. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary housing having a-main wall formed with a plurality of side-byaside Window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall adjacent said window openings, means slidably supporting said sheet members for lateral movement parallel to said main wall, said sheet members being formed with apertures substantially registrable with and substantially of the same size as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of Window openings, the side margins of the apertures being of suicient width so that they can substantially cover the window openings when the sheet members are in staggered laterally overlapping positions, and means to move said sheet members laterally between positions wherein their apertures substantially register with the window openings and staggered overlapping positions wherein said side margins substantially cover said window openings.

3. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary h-ousing having a main wall formed with la plurality of side-by-side window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall adjacent said window openings, means slidably supporting said sheet members for lateral movement parallel to said main Wall, said sheet members being formed with apertures substantially registrable with and of the same size :as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of Window openings, the side margins of the apertures being of suflicient width so that they can substantially cover the window openings when the sheet members are in staggered laterally overlapping positions, and means to move said sheet members laterally between positions wherein their apertures substantially register with the w-indow openings and staggered` overlapping positions wherein said side margins substantially cover said window openings, said last-named means comprising an operating cable element connected to one of the sheet members, and cooperating abutment means on the sheet members causing the remaining sheet members to be moved along with said one of the sheet members responsive to force exerted on said operating cable element.

4. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary housing having a main wall formed with a plurality of side-by-side window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall adjacent said window openings, means slidably supporting said sheet members `for lateral movement parah lel to said main wall, said sheet members being formed with apertures substantially registrable with and of the same size as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of window openings, the side margins of the apertures 'being of suliicient width so that they can substantially cover the window openings when the sheet members are in staggered laterally overlapping positions, and means to move said sheet members laterally between positions wherein their apertures substantially register with the win-dow openings and staggered overlapping positions wherein said side margins substantially cover said window openings, said last-named means comprising an operating cable element connected to one of the sheet members, a transversely extending lug member on said one sheet member, and abutment means on the other sheet members drivingly engageable by said lug member to cause said other sheet members to -be moved along with said one of the sheet members responsive to force exerted on the operating cable element, the abutment means on the respective other-sheet members being spaced lby distances of the -order of the' width of said side margins of the apertures.

5. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary housing having a main wall formed with a plurality of side-by-side window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall adjacent said window openings, means slidably supporting said sheet members for lateral movement parlel to said main wall, said sheet members Ibeing formed with apertures substantially registrable with and of the same size as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of lWindow openings, the side margins of the apertures being of suicient width so that they can substantially cover the window openings when the sheet members are in staggered laterally overlapping positions, and means to move said sheet members laterally between positions wherein their apertures substantially register with the window openings and staggered overlapping positions wherein said side margins substantially cover said window openings, said last-named means comprising an operating cable element connected to one of the sheet members, a transversely extending lug member on said one sheet member, the other sheet members being formed with notches through which said lug member extends, the lug member being drivingly engageable with the ends of said notches, whereby to cause said other sheet members to be moved along withl said .one of the sheet members responsive to force exerted on the oper-ating cable element, the notches varying successiyely in length by distances of the order of the width of said side margins of the apertures.

6. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary housing having a main wall formed with -a plurality of side-by-side window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall adjacent said window openings, means slidably supporting said sheet members for lateral movement parallel to said main wall, said sheet members being formed with apertures substantially registrable with and of the same size as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of window openings, the side margins of the apertures being of suilicient width so that they can substantially cover the window openings, When the sheet members are in staggered laterally overlapping positions, and means to move said sheet members laterally Vbetween positions wherein said aper tures substantially register with the window openings and staggered overlapping positions wherein said side margins substantially cover said window openings, the sheet members being provided with outwardly projecting ilangesV at one side margin of their apertures, the flanges of the inner sheet members projecting through the apertures of the outwardly adjacent sheet members. 7. A sliding closure assembly `'comprising a stationary housing having a main wall formed with a plurality of side-by-side window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall, adjacent said window openings, means slidably supporting said sheet members for lateral movement parallel to said main wall, said sheet members being formed with aperture-s substantially registrable with and of the same size as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of window openings, the side margins of the apertures being of sufcient width so that they can substantially cover the window openings when the sheet members are in staggered laterally overlapping positions, and means to move said sheet members laterally between positions wherein their apertures substantially register with the window openings and staggered overlapping positions wherein said side margins substantially cover :said window openings, said lastnamed means comprising an operating cable element connected to one of the sheet members, a transversely extending lug member on said one sheet member, the other sheet members being formed with notches through which said lug member extends, the lug member being drivingly engageable with the ends of said notches Whereby to cause said other sheet members to be moved along with said one of the sheet members responsive to force exerted on the operating cable element, the notches varying successively in length by distances of the order of the width of said side margins of the apertures, the sheet members being provided with outwardly projecting flanges at one side margin of their apertures, the flanges of the inner sheet members projecting through the apertures of the outwardly adjacent sheet members.

8. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary housing having a main wall formed with a plurality of side-by-side window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall adjacent said window openings, means slidably supporting said sheet members for lateral movement parallel to said main wall, said sheet members being formed with apertures substantially registrable wi-th and of the same :size as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said num ber being one less than the number of window openings, the side margins of the apertures being of sufficient width so that they can substantially cover the window openings when the sheet members are in staggered laterally over lapping positions, and means to move said sheet members laterally between positions wherein their apertures substantially register with the window openings and staggered overlapping positions wherein said side margins substantially cover said window openings, said lastnamed means comprising an operating cable element connected to one of the sheet members, a Itransversely extending lug member on said one sheet member, the other sheet members being formed with notches through which said lug member extends, the lug member being drivingly engageable with the ends of said notches, whereby to cause said other sheet members to be moved along with said one of the sheet members responsive to force exerted on the operating cable element, the notches varying successively in length by distances of the order of the width of said side margins of the apertures, the sheet members being formed with further notches, and transversely extending stationary stop means in the housing received in said further notches and limiting the lateral movement of the sheet members.

9. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary housing having a main wall formed with a plurality of side-byside window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall adjacent said window openings, means slidably supporting said sheet members for lateral movement parallel to said main wall, said sheet members being formed with apertures substantially registrable with and of the same size as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of window openings, the side margins of the apertures being of suicien-t width so that they can substantially cover the window openings when the sheet members are in staggered laterally overlapping positions, and means to move said sheet members laterally between vpositions wherein `their apertures substantially register with the window openings and staggered overlapping position wherein said side margins substantially cover said window openings, said lastnamed means comprising an operating cable element l connected to one of the sheet members, a transversely extending lug member on said one sheet member, the other sheet members being formed with notches through which said lug member extends, the lug member being drivingly engageable with the ends of said notches, whereby to cause said other sheet members to be moved along with said one of the sheet members responsive to force exerted on the operating cable element, the notches varying successively in length by distances of the order of the width of said side margins of the apertures, the sheet members being provided with outwardly projecting anges at one side margin of their apertures, the ilanges of the inner sheet members projecting through the apertures of the outwardly adjacent sheet members, -the sheet members being formed with further notches, and transversely extending stationary stop means in the housing received in said further notches and limiting `the lateral movement of the sheet members.

10. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary housing having a main wall formed with a plurality of side-by-side window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall adjacent said window openings, means slidably supporting said sheet members for lateral movement parallel to said main wall, said sheet members being formed with apertures substantially registrable with and of the same size as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of window openings. the side margins of the apertures being of suicient Width so that they can substantially cover the wind-ow openings when the sheet members are in staggered laterally overlapping positions, and means to move said sheet members laterally between positions wherein their apertures substantially register with the window openings and staggered overlapping positions wherein said side margins substantially cover said window openings, said last-named means comprising an operating cable element connected to one of the sheet members, a transversely extending lug member on said one sheet member, the other sheet members being formed with notches through which said lug member extends, the lug member tbeing drivingly engageable with the ends of said notches, whereby to cause said other sheet members to be moved along with said one of the sheet members responsive to force exerted on the operating cable element, the notches varying successively in length by distances of the order of the width of said side margins of the apertures, the sheet members being provided with outwardlyvprojecting flanges at one side margin of their apertures, the flanges of the inner sheet members projectingl through the apertures of the outwardly adjacent sheet members, the sheet members being formed with further notches, and transversely eX- tending stop bars in the housing received in said further notches and limiting the lateral movement of the sheet members, said further notches varying successively in length by distances of the order of the width of said side margins of the apertures.

11. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary housing having a main wall formed with a plurality of side-by-side window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall adjacent said window openings, means slidably supporting said sheetmembers for lateral movement parallel to said main wall, said sheet members being formed with apertures substantially registrable with and of the same size as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of window openings, the side margins of the apertures being of sufficient width so that they can substantiallycover the window openings when the sheet members are in staggered laterally overlapping positions, and means to move said other sheet members laterally between positions wherein their apertures substantially register with the window openings and staggered overlapping positions wherein said side margins substantially cover said window openings, said last-named means comprising an operating cable element connected to the innermostsheet member, a transversely extending lug member on said innermost sheet member, the other sheet members being formed with notches through which said lug member extends, the lug member being drivngly engageable with the ends of said notches, whereby to cause said other sheet members to be moved along with said one of the sheet members responsive to force exerted on the operating cable element, the notches increasing successively in length outwardly by distances of the order of the width of said side margins ofthe apertures.

12. A sliding closure assembly comprising a stationary housing having a main wallformedwith a plurality of side-by-side window openings, a plurality of rigid superimposed closure sheet members disposed parallel to said main wall adjacent said window openings, means slidablyI supporting said sheet members for lateral movement 12 parallel to said main wall, said sheet members being formed with apertures substantially registrable with and of the same size as said window openings, each sheet member having the same number of apertures, said number being one less than the number of window openings, the side margins of the apertures being of suicient width so that they can substantially cover the window openings when the sheet members are. in staggered later-v ally overlapping positions, and means to move said sheet members laterally between positions wherein their apertures substantially register with the window openings and staggered overlapping positions wherein said side margins substantially cover said window openings, said last-named means comprising an operating cable element connected to the innermost sheet member, a transversely extending lug member on said innermost sheet member, the other sheet members being provided with notches through which said lug member extends, the lug member being drivingly engageablewith the ends of said notches, whereby to cause said other sheet members to be moved along with said one of the sheet members responsive to force exertedon the operating cable element, the notches increasingsucces'sively outwardlyin length by distances of the order of the width of said side margins of` the apertures, 'the sheet members being formed with `further notches, and transversely extending stationary stop bars on the housing.

received insaid further notches and limiting the lateral movement of the sheet members, the lengths of said further notches being substantially whole multiples of the widths of said side margins of the apertures and said lengths diminishing successively outwardly from the inner most sheet member lto the outermost sheet member.

13. The structure of claim 4, and wherein said superimposed closure sheet members comprise transparent rigid` sheet material.

14. The structure of claim 4 and wherein said rigid superimposed closure sheet members comprise rigid opaque sheet material.

ReferencesiCited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,863,680 6/l932 Young et al 268-26 Xv HARRISON R. MOSELEY, prima@ Examinar. P. M. CAUN, Assistant Examiner, 

1. A SLIDING CLOSURE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A STATIONARY WINDOW FRAME, MEANS ON SAID FRAME DEFINING A PLURALITY OF SIDE-BY-SIDE WINDOW OPENINGS, A PLURALITY OF RIGID SUPERIMPOSED CLOSURE SHEET MEMBERS SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ADJACENT AND PARALLEL TO SAID WINDOW OPENINGS, SAID SHEET MEMBERS BEING FORMED WITH APERTURES SUBSTANTIALLY REGISTRABLE WITH SAID WINDOW OPENINGS AND EACH SHEET MEMBER HAVING THE SAME NUMBER OF APERTURES, SAID NUMBER BEING ONE LESS THAN THE NUMBER OF WINDOW OPENINGS, THE SIDE MARGINS OF THE APERTURES BEING OF SUFFICIENT WIDTH SO THAT THE WINDOW OPENINGS WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY COVERED THEREBY WHEN THE SHEET MEMBERS ARE MOVED LATERALLY TO STAGGERED OVERLAPPING POSITIONS, AND MEANS TO MOVE SAID SHEET MEMBERS LATERALLY TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID STAGGERED OVERLAPPING POSITIONS. 